Every year in May and October the Williams Lake Legion Branch 139 hosts a fashion show for the women of the community.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 President Joyce Norberg is the principal host and organizer of their biannual fashion shows. Norberg said that they are the only organization, in the community, with a facility capable of providing the ladies of Williams Lake a fashionable night out like this.
“There’s nothing else much else to do in Williams Lake for women wanting to go out on your own basically. It’s a wonderful, safe place to come to where you can enjoy a drink or two, have dinner and have fun together,” Norberg said.
Featuring the wares of local clothing and design stores BFF Fashions and Suzzane’s & Jenny’s, the show offers women dinner and a show. With the funds raised from the night Norberg and the Legion support both their own programs and other charities in the community.
Read More: Slideshow: Legion hosts a fashion show
At this fall’s fashion show on Oct. 24, Norberg said they had roughly 150 women in the Legion, all gathered for a night of fashion, companionship and fun. The models were a mix of both younger and older women of various body sizes and types, to better reflect the clientele of the Legion, something Norberg said is part of the show’s appeal.
“They’ve been coming for seven years now and they’ll hoot and holler when they leave because they really love coming,” Norberg said, joking. “It’s our night out to do what we want to do, we can misbehave if we want to.”
Local high school math and hunting teacher Caroline Chupa was one of the show’s models, along with her daughter Cassidy. A member of the Legion, Chupa is a staunch believer in giving back to her community in any way she can.
The Legion’s various programs and services, such as a PTSD support group, are all things she believes in and more than that she is good friends with many of the ladies of the Legion. Getting to have fun while modelling in a fashion show for them is just a cherry on top.
This is the sixth time she’s modelled for BFF Fashions and Suzanne’s & Jenny’s and said she has always had fun doing the shows, adding it was extra fun to do so with her daughter this time around. Chupa chose to add a little flair to her modelling, encouraging fashion show attendees to feel the fabrics of the clothes she wore while dancing to and fro between the tables.
“I know the ladies, I love them, and I love the audience and interacting with them. I know them, so, I know what they want, they want to do what I ask them, they enjoy it,” Chupa remarked with a laugh.
She said that fashion shows like the ones the Legion host are great for the community, as they provide an opportunity to support not only local businesses but the self-confidence of women as well.
“Whether they’re a size zero or a plus four X, the fashion show is great, our models are everything and it shows that every woman can look beautiful in whatever they wear,” Chupa said.
For herself, Chupa is already booked for the upcoming spring and fall shows by both businesses and feels the styles they offer suit both the diversity and character of the women of Williams Lake.
The Legion provides year-round care and support for local veterans, both those of years past and those from recent conflicts.
Read More: VIDEO: Legion benefits from the auction of world’s fastest log car
patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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